Uncommon Sense From An Uncommon God

By Goh Kgoon Liang

We know the story: David versus Goliath. Small versus Big.

Against all odds, David kills Goliath in a single shot. The enemy’s champion slain, it’s a resounding win, nothing short of a miracle.

But that’s not all. Behind this story lies a deeper meaning still.

As the legendary 9-feet tall giant towered over the Israelite army, he was said to be literally covered in heavy bronze—body armour, helmet and javelin. Not to mention his sword and a heavy shield borne by a bearer (read 1 Samuel 17).

Along comes young David who convinces King Saul to give him a fighting chance. Saul then tries to impose his way by putting his very own set of armour and weapons onto David. But David protested, “I cannot walk with these, for I have not tested them” (vv. 38-39). In the end, he chose to use his own shepherd’s equipment and picked stones from a riverbed.

Isn’t this scene familiar? Approaching life’s problems and challenges with methods we’ve tried and tested? And if something doesn’t seem like it can be done, then don’t even bother wasting your time and energy.

King Saul seasoned in his battle-tested methods seemed to be dressing David in the very ways of the Philistines (the same bronze armour and weapons). Even when the challenge towered way beyond man’s natural ability, King Saul still clung on to his common sense and worldly ways. To be fair, this must have helped him win battles past. But surely this was an uncommon challenge demanding an uncommon approach.

So the crux is this: When it comes to the crunch, WHO and WHAT do we rely on? Common sense and proven ways of the world? Or an uncommon God whose ways are out of this world?

David chose the latter; Saul chose the former. Read the rest of 1 Samuel to see how their fates forever diverged: One became Israel’s greatest king; the other lost everything—his kingdom, his family and even his own life.

It’s amazing how God’s smallest ways can result in the biggest life victories. When challenges loom ahead, who and what would you choose?